Resident’s Guide: our area guide to Clifton, Bristol, from architecture to restaurants
SEE
1. Clifton Suspension Bridge
Isambard Kingdom Brunel enjoys a status close to that of a patron saint in Bristol. His landmark design, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, finished in 1864, continues to capture imaginations, and lends the city its most iconic vista. Walk across the bridge for views of the river and the dramatic cliffs of Avon Gorge on either side; or climb up to the Clifton Observatory for the best vantage point overlooking the bridge below, framed by Leigh Woods on the far side. We suggest an evening picnic here in the summer months with a significant other.
2. Georgian architecture
Clifton possesses an array of Georgian, Regency and Victorian villas, arranged in stately crescents, squares, and deep stone terraces. Start your self-guided architectural tour in the small park in the centre of Victoria Square; stroll beneath the vaulted archway to Clifton Village, and continue in a more-or-less straight line through Caledonia Place to Sion Hill, where elegant Georgian townhouses with wrought-iron balconies overlook the nearby suspension bridge.
3. Clifton Cathedral
Although famed for its 18th- and 19th-century architecture, one of Clifton’s few contributions to the city skyline comes in the form of some 1970s brutalism. Clifton Cathedral was designed by Ronald Weeks and completed in 1973, and its three-point spire can be spotted across much of the neighbourhood – although its raw concrete interior is the true highlight of the design. Having been restored by Purcell architects in 2018 to address decades of water damage, the cathedral is in pristine condition to receive architectural pilgrims of all denominations.
EAT
4. Tradewind Espresso
Near the edge of the Downs, Tradewind provides everything you could require for a restorative coffee break, from their ‘Highground’ house blend espresso to a selection of V60 pour-overs. Order a slice of banana and walnut bread, grab an indie title from the magazine rack, and settle in at a window seat – or perhaps choose something savoury from the brunch menu that changes with the seasons. In warmer months, enjoy your coffee outside in the small courtyard at the back of the cafe.
5. Bosco Pizzeria
Put simply, Bosco makes the kind of pizza you dream about: light sourdough bases served bubbling and crispy straight from a wood-fired pizza oven. Excellent arancini and pasta dishes accompany the pizzas too – ribbons of pappardelle heaped with fennel and sausage ragu is a particular favourite. Decked in parquet floors and punctuated with marble and zinc tables, with a classic cocktail menu to boot, Bosco clinches the title for the smartest pizzeria in Bristol.
6. Spicer + Cole
Spicer + Cole’s Clifton Village cafe is joined by spots in Queen Square, Gloucester Road and Finzels Reach. Almost all the food they serve is prepared fresh in their kitchens, sourced from local suppliers including the Severn Project, Bruton Dairy, Ruby & White Butchers, Bertinet Bakery in Bath, and Extract Coffee in St Werburghs. With extensive breakfast and lunch menus chalked up on the blackboards each day, Spicer + Cole is equally suited to meeting a friend for brunch as it is for spending a full day working remotely. But a word of warning: there is simply no hope resisting the cakes, pastries, quiches and focaccia piled high on the long wooden counter each morning.
7. Pasta Loco
Be certain to book a table at the ever-popular Pasta Loco on Cotham Hill. Launched by Italian cousins Ben Harvey and Dominic Borel in 2016, the success of the restaurant saw the team open two further ventures in the city centre: Pasta Ripiena, specialising in filled pastas, and La Sorella, a dedicated lasagne and wine bar. But Pasta Loco – where it all started – continues to fill tables for what is probably the best fresh pasta menu in Bristol. Try their elevated take on the classic carbonara, served with slow-braised pork belly, and topped with a poached egg wrapped in a wafer-thin cut of pancetta.
SHOP
8. Truce
A discerning selection of womenswear and menswear complement the range of furniture, lighting and homewares from brands such as Ferm Living and Skandinavisk, making Truce an excellent one-stop-shop for Clifton’s design enthusiasts.
9. Two Belly
Next door to Tradewind, Two Belly offers such a perfect and simple pairing you wish you’d have thought of it first: a shop dedicated to beer and cheese. You can grab a table and enjoy both in store, or choose some to take home with you. The cheesemonger selects produce from the UK and France for their flavours and ethical approach to animal welfare, while the beer side champions much of Bristol’s craft beer scene, as well as stocking representatives from across the UK and the rest of the world. Natural wines, low intervention ciders, and specialist chutneys and crackers also keep us coming back for more.
10. Orange and Brown
Orange and Brown are specialists in mid-century furniture, which they source and carefully restore themselves. Their small showroom at the bottom of Brandon Hill, open via appointment only, displays a sample of their stock of furniture, lighting, art and homewares. Expect plenty of clean lines, Danish chairs from the likes of Arne Vodder, Poul M Volther and Edmund Jørgensen, and an awful lot of teak and rosewood.
11. Maze
Maze has operated as an independent family business since 1985, with twin locations in Clifton and Bath. They stock a rotating selection of clothing brands such as Universal Works, Folk, YMC and Suncoo, as well as homewares and lifestyle products from Frama and Nkuku. We always discover something new in their thoughtfully displayed pieces.
DO
12. Stroll through the Downs
Clifton and Durdham Downs offers an unrivalled expanse for walks, runs, team sports and outdoor gym classes. Walk from Clifton Village or Whiteladies Road to find a quiet spot for a picnic, or head to the north-western corner for views of the Avon Gorge and sightings of Peregrine falcons. There is also a nearby goat enclosure at the mouth of a gully, where a path winds down from the top of the cliff all the way down to the base of the gorge below.
13. Climb Cabot Tower
Cabot Tower is named for the Italian navigator who embarked from Bristol for his voyage of discovery to North America in 1497. It is positioned at the top of Brandon Hill, a popular park just behind the shops and cafes of Park Street and is often open during daylight hours for visitors to climb to the top. From this vantage, you can enjoy some of the finest vistas in Bristol, overlooking the harbourside, Ashton Court, and the rolling Somerset countryside beyond the city’s southern limits.
14. Swim at Bristol Lido
Do you prefer swimming while being watched by groups of well-dressed people eating their dinner? If so, Bristol Lido is the perfect – perhaps only – place to enjoy such a swim. A renovated Victorian swimming pool dating from 1850, Bristol Lido reopened in 2008 with a poolside bar and restaurant specialising in Spanish and Mediterranean cuisines. Visit for cocktails, tapas, a swim, a 60-minute massage at the spa, or all of the above – just be sure to choose a complementary order to proceedings.
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